Chicago

I mentioned yesterday the possibility of the White Sox signing A.J. Pierzynski to a one- or two-year deal to serve as a mentor/platoon partner for prospect Tyler Flowers.

Well, today, Pierzynski addressed that very question:

AJ Pierzynski has been the heart and soul of the White Sox since 2005, but will 2010 be his final season with the club? Perhaps:

''No matter what happens, I will never wish bad on the White Sox organization. They have been nothing but great to me, from [chairman] Jerry [Reinsdorf] to [general manager] Kenny [Williams] to [manager] Ozzie [Guillen].''

Pierzynski is in the final year of a three-year extension he signed in 2007. He's 33 years old.

110 years, nine playoff appearances, seven American League pennants, three World Series titles all wrapped into five performances.

The games are different, the stadiums are different, the uniforms are different, but the performances remain impressive.

These are the performances that, although may not have always brought a winner to the city of Chicago and, in one case, is a reminder of a black day for baseball, raised eyebrows.

It is easy to pick the stars among winners, but there are stars in those who are on the smaller end of the score as well.

Aramis Ramirez has played 150 or more games only once as a Cub. If his shoulder is not 100 percent this season, this statistic will be repeated, and the Cubs offense will struggle.

While that may seem like an all too obvious conclusion, it is the truth. I keep hearing about how "as Soriano goes, so go the Cubs". And while a return to respectability for the Fonz would certainly go a long way to improving the Cubs offense in 2010, I say Rami's contributions will matter even more.

Amongst the minor league free agents the Cubs have signed, two names stand out: Kevin Millar and Chad Tracy.

Millar helped the Boston Red Sox break their World Series Championship curse, and Tracy was once considered one of the elite young corner infielders in the game, but both these things were half a decade ago.

With spring training on the horizon, the Cubs have a need for a solid starter until Ted Lilly can return, and for a veteran right handed setup man for Carlos Marmol. John Smoltz could fill both needs, while adding a solid veteran presence to the clubhouse.

Frank "Big Hurt" Thomas will always be remembered as one of the hardest hitting Chicago White Sox in history. 

Thomas had stints with the Oakland A's and Toronto Blue Jays, but his legacy will be that of a South Sider when he's one day enshrined into baseball's hall of fame.

A player doesn't earn the moniker "Big Hurt" without reason. Thomas was big, 6'5" and 275 pounds, and legend has it that he "Sandlotted" a baseball, annihilating it with his powerful swing—ripping it to shreds.

On the evening of March 31, 2008, Kosuke Fukudome was the toast of the Chicago baseball world. The Cubs stood at 0-1 after a heart-breaking loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Fukudome, however, had overwhelmed in his American debut: he went three-for-three, with a walk, a double, and a game-tying three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

One game into his four-year, $48 million contract, Fukudome seemed poised to become a star. The 323 games since have not gone nearly so well.

While the Cubs starting eight appear to be set, there is one pressing need in the bullpen left to be filled. Ah, but is that a set-up man, as we've been led to believe, or a true closer?

For if the Cubs can somehow pull off a trade for the San Diego Padres' Heath Bell, they could move Carlos Marmol back where he belongs, as the Cubs' set-up man.

I know it may be somewhat farfetched, but bear with me for a minute. First of all, the Padres know they aren't going anywhere in 2010, so Bell's name has come up as trade fodder.

Andre Nolan Dawson was the only player on the 2010 Hall of Fame Ballot that was announced to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which was announced yesterday. Dawson has been waiting over a decade to receive the prestigious call to the hall and for over 20 years Dawson had done nothing but earn what he’s become, a legend.